Water level sensor and heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus having the same

ABSTRACT

A water level sensor is closely adhered to a storage tank, and a heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus allows the water level sensor to be mounted at the outside of the storage tank, thus having a simple configuration. The water level sensor may include a holder, a cap connected to the holder so as to reciprocate within the holder, a case connected to the cap so as to reciprocate within the holder, a sensor part attached to the case to sense the water level in the storage tank, and a spring located between the holder and the cap, wherein the sensor part mounted at the outside of the storage tank and attached to the case by restoring force of the spring when the storage tank contacts the case may be closely adhered to the storage tank and thus may sense a level of water stored in the storage tank.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/339,498 filed Dec. 29, 2011 which claims the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2011-0000620, filed on Jan. 4, 2011 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, the disclosures of each of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments relate to a water level sensor which is mounted at theoutside of a storage tank to sense a water level in the storage tank anda heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus having the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, an air conditioner is an apparatus which cools and heats anindoor space using a refrigerating cycle of a refrigerant including acompressor, a condenser, an expander and a heat exchanger so as toprovide a more pleasant indoor environment to a user.

Recently, there has been an increasing preference among consumers forair conditioners having an air purification function to remove dust orbacteria contained in air as well as a function to cool and heat anindoor space.

In the refrigerating cycle of the air conditioner, the heat exchangergreatly influences the temperature and humidity of an indoor space.

For example, the temperature of air introduced into the indoor space isvaried according to heat exchanging performance of the heat exchanger,and the humidity of air introduced into the indoor space is variedaccording to dehumidifying performance of the heat exchanger.

Further, if the air conditioner has not been used for a long time, dustmay be accumulated or bacteria may be grown in the air conditioner. Ifthe air conditioner is operated under the condition that the accumulateddust is not washed out or the air conditioner is not sterilized, airdischarged from the air conditioner is harmful to humans.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect to provide a water level sensor which isclosely adhered to a storage tank to sense a water level in the storagetank.

It is another aspect to provide a heat exchanger sterilizing andhumidifying apparatus which allows a water level sensor to be mounted atthe outside of a storage tank and thus has a simple configuration.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description whichfollows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may belearned by practice of the invention.

In accordance with one aspect, a water level sensor to sense a waterlevel in a storage tank in which water is stored may include a holder, acap connected to the holder such that the cap reciprocate within theholder, a case connected to the cap such that the case together with thecap reciprocate within the holder, a sensor part attached to the case tosense the water level in the storage tank, and a spring located betweenthe holder and the cap to allow the cap and the case to reciprocatewithin the holder, wherein the sensor part mounted at the outside of thestorage tank and attached to the case by restoring force of the springwhen the storage tank contacts the case is closely adhered to thestorage tank and thus senses a level of water stored in the storagetank.

Hooks may be provided on the holder so as to mount the holder on anotherstructure.

A fixing part inserted into the spring to fix the spring may be formedon the holder.

Protrusions may be formed on the cap, and guide grooves may be formed onthe holder, into which the protrusions formed on the cap may be insertedto guide the cap such that the cap reciprocates within the holder.

A fixing recess into which the spring may be inserted so as to be fixedmay be formed on the cap.

Hooks may be formed on the cap so as to connect the cap to the case, andconnection holes may be formed on the case such that the hooks formed onthe cap are inserted into the connection holes.

In accordance with another aspect, a heat exchanger sterilizing andhumidifying apparatus may include a kit on which parts to sterilize aheat exchanger are mounted, a storage tank detachably mounted on the kitto receive and store water and then to convert the stored water intosterilizing water, a spraying device to receive the sterilizing watergenerated by the storage tank and to spray the sterilizing water to theheat exchanger to sterilize the heat exchanger, and a water level sensordetachably mounted on the kit and closely adhered to the outer surfaceof the storage tank, when the storage tank is mounted on the kit, tosense a water level in the storage tank.

The storage tank may include a sterilizing water generation device toconvert water, supplied thereto and stored therein, into sterilizingwater.

The sterilizing water generation device may be an OH-radical electrode.

The kit may include a pump device to supply the sterilizing water,generated by the sterilizing water generation device of the storagetank, to the spraying device, and a sterilizing water supply hoseallowing the sterilizing water to be transferred to the spraying deviceby the pump device.

The kit may further include a power supply device to supply power to thesterilizing water generation device of the storage tank.

The kit may further include an upper cover to cover the upper portion ofthe kit, and a cover to prevent the power supply device from beingexposed to the outside.

A water level sensor mounting hole in which the water level sensor maybe mounted may be formed on the kit.

The heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus may furtherinclude a support mounted on the lower portion of the heat exchanger soas to store the sterilizing water after the sterilizing water suppliedto the spraying device has been sprayed onto the heat exchanger tosterilize the heat exchanger.

A discharge hose to discharge the sterilizing water stored in thesupport to the outside may be connected to the support.

The discharge hose connected to the support may be connected to the kitso as to discharge the sterilizing water leaked from the storage tankmounted on the kit to the outside.

The spraying device may include a nozzle case including a nozzle, and anozzle cover to cover the upper portion of the nozzle case.

The nozzle case may further include a sealing member to maintain aninterval between the nozzle and the heat exchanger.

The water level sensor may include a sensor part to sense the waterlevel in the storage tank and a spring causing the senor part to beclosely adhered to the storage tank by the restoring force of the springwhen the storage tank is mounted on the kit.

The water level sensor may sense the water level in the storage tankthrough an electrostatic capacitive method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the invention will become apparent andmore readily appreciated from the following description of theembodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchanger sterilizingand humidifying apparatus in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger sterilizing andhumidifying apparatus in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a kit in accordance with oneembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating mounting of a water levelsensor in accordance with one embodiment at the outside of a storagetank;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the water level sensor inaccordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the water level sensor in accordancewith one embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating close adhesion of thewater level sensor in accordance with one embodiment to the storagetank.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elementsthroughout.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchanger sterilizingand humidifying apparatus in accordance with one embodiment, FIG. 2 is aperspective view of the heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifyingapparatus in accordance with one embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an explodedperspective view of a kit in accordance with one embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifyingapparatus 1 may include a kit 200 on which parts to sterilize a heatexchanger are mounted, a storage tank 300 to receive and store water andthen to convert the stored water into sterilizing water, a sprayingdevice 400 to receive the sterilizing water generated by the storagetank 300 and to spray the sterilizing water to the heat exchanger tosterilize the heat exchanger, and a water level sensor 100 mounted atthe outside of the storage tank 300 to sense a water level in thestorage tank 300.

The heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus 1 is anapparatus to sterilize and humidify the heat exchanger used in an airconditioner.

If the air conditioner is not used for a long time, bacteria may grow inthe heat exchanger.

Further, when water condenses on the surface of the heat exchanger,bacteria easily grow in the condensed water and thus the surface of theheat exchanger is corroded due to the condensed water. Therefore, inthis case, the heat exchanger needs to be sterilized and humidified bythe heater exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, various parts to sterilize the heat exchangerare mounted on the kit 200.

An upper cover 210 may be provided on the upper portion of the kit 200,thus covering the upper portion of the kit 200.

The kit 200 may include a pump device 220 to supply the sterilizingwater, generated by a sterilizing water generation device (not shown) ofthe storage tank 200, which will be described later, to the sprayingdevice 400, and a sterilizing water supply hose 230 allowing thesterilizing water to be transferred to the spraying device 400 by thepump device 220.

The sterilizing water supply hose 230 installed on the kit 200 mayconnect the storage tank 300 mounted on the kit 200 to the sprayingdevice 400 to spray the sterilizing water to the heat exchanger.

The storage tank 300 may include the sterilizing water generation device(not shown) to convert water supplied to the storage tank 300 intosterilizing water, and the sterilizing water converted in the storagetank 300 may be pumped by the pumping device 200 and may be supplied tothe spraying device 400 through the sterilizing water supply hose 230.

The kit 200 may include a power supply device (not shown) to supplypower to the sterilizing water generation device (not shown) of thestorage tank 300.

The power supply device (not shown) may supply power directly to thesterilizing water generation device (not shown) so as to allow waterstored in the storage tank 300 to be converted into sterilizing water bythe sterilizing water generation device (not shown).

The kit 200 may include a cover 240 to prevent the power supply device(not shown) from being exposed to the outside.

A water level sensor mounting hole 250 may be formed on the kit 200 sothat the water level sensor 100 is mounted in the water level sensormounting hole 250, and a discharge hose H connected to a support 500,which will be described later, to guide the sterilizing water,discharged after sterilization of the heat exchanger, to the outside maybe connected to the kit 200.

By connecting the discharge hose H to the kit 200, if water stored inthe storage tank 300 or sterilizing water converted in the storage tank300 leaks to the outside of the storage tank 300 or if condensed wateris formed on the outer surface of the storage tank 300, the leaked wateror the condensed water is not collected in the kit 200 but is dischargedto the outside through the discharge hose H.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage tank 300 may be detachablymounted on the kit 200 and may store water supplied by a user.

The sterilizing water generation device (not shown) to convert watersupplied into the storage tank 300 to sterilizing water may be installedin the storage tank 300.

The sterilizing water generation device (not shown) installed in thestorage tank 300 may be an OH⁻ radical electrode to generate OH⁻ radicalwater.

The OH⁻ radical water generated by the OH⁻ radical electrode takes partin sterilization and disinfection to chemically decompose and removemost contaminants but is harmless to humans.

The sterilizing water generation device (not shown) may be otherelectrolysis apparatuses as opposed to the OH⁻ radical electrode, andthese electrolysis apparatuses may convert water supplied to the storagetank 300 into ozone water.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spraying device 400 may include a nozzlecase 410 and a nozzle cover 420.

The spraying device 400 may receive the sterilizing water generated bythe storage tank 300 through the sterilizing water supply hose 230installed on the kit 200 and spray the sterilizing water to the heatexchanger, thereby sterilizing and humidifying the heat exchanger.

The nozzle case 410 may include a nozzle (not shown) and stores thesterilizing water supplied from the storage tank 300 by the sterilizingwater supply hole 230 installed on the kit 200.

The sterilizing water stored in the nozzle case 410 may be sprayed tothe heat exchanger through the nozzle (not shown).

The nozzle case 410 may include a sealing member 430 to maintain aninterval between the nozzle (not shown) of the nozzle case 410 and theheat exchanger located under the nozzle case 410.

The nozzle cover 420 may be located on the nozzle case 410 and may coverthe upper portion of the nozzle case 410, thereby preventing thesterilizing water stored in the nozzle case 410 from being exposed tothe outside.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heat exchanger sterilizing andhumidifying apparatus 1 further may include the support 500.

The support 500 may be mounted on the lower portion of the heatexchanger, and may serve to store the sterilizing water sprayed from thespraying device 400 after sterilization of the heat exchanger.

The discharge hose H may be connected to the support 500 so that thesterilizing water stored in the support 500 may be discharged to theoutside of the air conditioner.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the water level sensor 100 may be detachablymounted in the water level sensor mounting hole 250 formed on the kit200.

The water level sensor 100 mounted in the water level sensor mountinghole 250 of the kit 200 may be closely adhered to the outer surface ofthe storage tank 300 when the storage tank 300 is mounted on the kit200, and thus may sense a level of water or sterilizing water in thestorage tank 300.

By mounting the water level sensor 100 at the outside of the storagetank 300, various parts, which need to be installed within the storagetank 300 if the water level sensor 100 is installed within the storagetank 300, may be omitted, and thus the heat exchanger sterilizing andhumidifying apparatus 1 may have a simple configuration.

The water level sensor 100 may sense a remaining amount of water orsterilizing water in the storage tank 300 and may transmit a signal tocontrol the remaining amount to a control unit (not shown).

If water or sterilizing water is not present in the storage tank 300,the water level sensor 100 may stop a motor (not shown) of the pumpdevice 220 to supply the sterilizing water in the storage tank 300 tothe spraying device 400, thereby preventing idle rotation of the motor(not shown) and noise due to idle rotation of the motor (not shown).

Further, if a sterilizing and humidifying function is to be performedunder the condition that water or sterilizing water is not present inthe storage tank 300, the water level sensor 100 may transmit a signalinstructing a user to put water thereinto.

Hereinafter, the water level sensor will be described in more detailwith reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating mounting of the waterlevel sensor in accordance with one embodiment at the outside of thestorage tank and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the waterlevel sensor in accordance with one embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the water level sensor 100 to sense a waterlevel in the storage tank 300 may include a holder 110, a cap 120connected to the holder 110 so as to reciprocate within the holder 110,a case 130 connected to the cap 120 so as to reciprocate within theholder 110 together with the cap 120, a sensor part 140 attached to thecase 130 to sense the water level in the storage tank 300, and a spring150 located between the holder 110 and the cap 120 so that the cap 120and the case 130 may reciprocate within the holder 110.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, hooks 111 may be formed on the upper andlower portions of the holder 110 of the water level sensor 100 so thatthe water level sensor 100 may be mounted on another structure.

Grooves into which the hooks 111 of the holder 110 of the water levelsensor 100 may be inserted may be formed on the structure on which thewater level sensor 100 is mounted, and the water level sensor 100 may bemounted on the structure by inserting the hooks 111 formed on the upperand lower portions of the holder 110 of the water level sensor 100 intothe grooves formed on the structure.

A fixing part 113 inserted into the spring 150 to fix the spring 150 maybe formed on the inner surface of the holder 110.

When the spring 150 is fixed to the fixing part 113 of the holder 110,the spring 150 does not move upward and downward and from side to sidewithin the holder 110.

Guide grooves 115 to guide the cap 120 may be formed on both sidesurfaces of the holder 110 so that the cap 120 may reciprocate withinthe holder 110.

Protrusions 121 of the cap 120 connected to the holder 110 andreciprocating within the holder 110 may be inserted into the guidegrooves 115 formed on the holder 110.

The protrusions 121 of the cap 120 may move along the guide grooves 115formed on the holder 110 under the condition that the protrusions 121are inserted into the guide grooves 115, allowing the cap 120 toreciprocate within the holder 110.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cap 120 may include the protrusions 121inserted into the guide grooves 115 formed on the holder 110, a fixingrecess 123 into which the spring 150 is fixedly inserted, and hooks 125inserted into connection holes 131 of the case 130, which will bedescribed later.

The protrusions 121 may be formed at the right and left sides of the cap120, and move along the guide grooves 115 formed on the holder 110 underthe condition that the protrusions 121 are inserted into the guidegrooves 115, thus allowing the cap 120 to reciprocate within the holder110.

The fixing recess 123 may be formed on the cap 120 so as to correspondto the fixing part 113 formed on the holder 110, and the spring 150 maybe fixed to the fixing part 113 of the holder 110 and the fixing recess123 of the cap 120.

The hooks 125 may be formed at the upper end and the right and leftsides of the cap 120.

The hooks 125 formed on the cap 120 may be inserted into the connectionholes 131 formed on the case 130, thereby connecting the cap 120 and thecase 130 to each other.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the connection holes 131 may be formed on thecase 130.

The sensor part 140, which will be described later, may be attached tothe case 130, and the case 130 may be connected to the cap 120 and thusreciprocates together with the cap 120 within the holder 110.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sensor part 140 may be attached to thecase 130.

The sensor part 140 may be attached to the case 130, and may sense alevel of water or sterilizing water in the storage tank 300 when thestorage tank 300 is closely adhered to the case 130.

The sensor part 140 may sense a water level through an electrostaticcapacitive method without direct contact with water or sterilizing waterin the storage tank 300.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spring 150 may be located between theholder 110 and the cap 120 and may be fixed to the fixing part 113 ofthe holder 110 and the fixing recess 123 of the cap 120.

The cap 120 may reciprocate within the holder 110 due to restoring forceof the spring 150, and the case 130 together with the cap 120 mayreciprocate within the holder 110 under the condition that the case 130is connected to the case 120.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 7, by configuring the case 130 so as toreciprocate within the holder 110, the case 130 may be pushed by thestorage tank 300 and thus may move toward the holder 110 when thestorage tank 300 contacts the case 130, and force in the oppositedirection to pushing of the case 130 by the storage tank 300 may beapplied to the sensor part 140 attached to the case 130 by the spring150, thereby allowing the storage tank 300 and the sensor 140 to beclosely adhered to each other.

As described above, although the above embodiment illustrates the waterlevel sensor 100 and the heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifyingapparatus 1 having the same as being provided in designated shape anddirection, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

As is apparent from the above description, a water level sensor inaccordance with one embodiment may be mounted at the outside of astorage tank, thereby achieving a simpler structure of a heat exchangersterilizing and humidifying apparatus.

Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would beappreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made inthese embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit ofthe invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A water level sensor to sense a water level in astorage tank in which water is stored, comprising: a holder; a capconnected to the holder such that the cap reciprocates within theholder; a case connected to the cap such that the case together with thecap reciprocates within the holder; a sensor part attached to the caseto sense the water level in the storage tank; and a spring locatedbetween the holder and the cap to allow the cap and the case toreciprocate within the holder, wherein the sensor part is mounted at theoutside of the storage tank, the case is closely adhered to the storagetank by the restoring force of the spring when the storage tank contactsthe case, and the sensor part thus is closely adhered to the storagetank and senses a level of water stored in the storage tank.
 2. Thewater level sensor according to claim 1, wherein hooks are provided onthe holder so as to mount the holder on another structure.
 3. The waterlevel sensor according to claim 1, wherein protrusions are formed on thecap, guide grooves are formed on the holder, and the protrusions areinserted into the guide grooves to guide the cap such that the capreciprocates within the holder.
 4. The water level sensor according toclaim 3, wherein a fixing recess into which the spring is inserted isformed on the cap.
 5. The water level sensor according to claim 4,wherein hooks are formed on the cap, connection holes are formed on thecase, and the hooks formed on the cap are inserted into the connectionholes so as to connect the cap to the case.